Dispensers and applicators for hair dye and hair care cosmetics are generally known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,305 purportedly discloses an apparatus for applying dye to hair which includes a tubular housing with an end cap that has a nozzle and stem for applying the dye to the hair. The housing contains a movable piston which the user may actuate to compress and thereby extrude the hair dye through the nozzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,298 purportedly discloses a device that includes a tubular element containing multiple storage compartments, each compartment containing an absorbent material. The absorbent materials may each contain a different component of a hair dye solution. The hair dye component is provided from each of the absorbent materials to multiple tines where the components are mixed together. The mixture may then be applied from the tines to the hair to be dyed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,175 purportedly discloses an apparatus having a cylindrical body with a storage chamber for storing a liquid hair dye and a supply means or valve means connecting the storage chamber to a top portion. The top portion has small holes that lead to the exterior of the cylindrical body through which the hair dye passes. The hair dye is distributed onto brush members from which the dye may be transferred to the hair to be treated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,647 purports to disclose a hair dye dispenser containing a motor that rotates an absorbent material to thereby transfer by centrifugal force hair dye from the absorbent material to a second absorbent material located radially outward from the first absorbent material. The second absorbent material is disposed external to the dispenser for applying the hair dye to the hair.
The methods and devices known in the art fail to provide an apparatus or method as disclosed herein for applying hair products, such as hair dye, to hair in a manner that is simple to use, reliable, and inexpensive to manufacture that can be used as a disposable unit, or alternatively can be adapted to be simply refillable.